


Pennies and Pounds

by ultraman64



Series: Ratbag is a term of endearment [2]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: BECAUSE I'M AN IDIOT AND FORGOT THE DATE, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-23
Updated: 2013-07-23
Packaged: 2017-12-21 03:03:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/895025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultraman64/pseuds/ultraman64
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The actual date after "Nicknames."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pennies and Pounds

**Author's Note:**

> So it was suggested I write a continuation involving the date and I agreed because IT COMPLETELY SLIPPED MY MIND WHILE WRITING 'Nicknames'!

  
It's a little over a month after the final battle in Hong Kong and, while Tendo has been happy spending time with Chuck in medical, the other man insists they still have a date to keep.  
  
"You've been laid up because of a nuclear device, I forgive you." The brunette smiles, feet propped on the bed and 'Madding Crowd' open on his lap.  
  
"I told you we'd go out," Chuck grumbles, looking at some trashy novel and making faces at the pages. "And eating hospital food doesn't count as not-mess-hall food."  
  
"You saved the damn world," Tendo leaned forward, thumping his novel against the blond's leg. "If there's a sweeter date than that, I haven't been on it."  
  
Chuck blushes but grins slightly at the other man, because the kid is always willing to take a compliment. The older man grins back and snatches the dessert jello off the tray and leans back again, enjoying the slight pout from Chuck.  
  
"That was mine!"  
  
"Should have eaten it then," Tendo smirked as he rips the lid off.  
  
~  
  
When Chuck shows up at the door to his quarters a day later, wearing his beat-up bomber jacket and the hospital shirt, Tendo thinks something's happened. The blond shakes his head and holds up the most gnarly looking bouquet of flowers the brunette has ever seen and smirks.  
  
"Here to pick m'lady up for our date."  
  
It's too endearing that Tendo can't stop his laugh, grabbing a hold of the flowers and, more importantly, Chuck's arm. "Please tell me that you didn't escape doctor observation." Tendo says, as the 'Or your dad is going to kill me,' is left unspoken.  
  
"The doc said I could go out for one evening, as long as I'm back by the end of the night." The blond admits and glances down at the flowers. "You like them? Mako helped me get them."  
  
The brunette bites his tongue, because the flowers basically look like someone picked them from a trampled garden, and nods his head. Putting the flowers into a cup of water, he returns to Chuck's side, smiling lightly and takes the young man's arm more securely as he steps out into the hall.  
  
"I believe my dashing knight was going to take me for food." He says, not minding playing along with whatever Chuck's got planned. It must please the young man, since he only grins happily in response and leads them away.  
  
~  
  
Of course it's raining, and of course the streets are filled with people. Tendo points out that they should get a taxi or should have taken a vehicle off base, but Chuck is set in the idea of walking around.  
  
It's not so much as cold, considering there's so many people out and there are more often umbrellas over their heads from passersby as they walk near but it's cold enough that Tendo worries about Chuck getting sick or wetting his bandages.  
  
"They're not a problem," the blond argues, once more striking down the idea of a taxi. "The place we're going is just around the corner anyway."  
  
"Yeah, that's great but if you go back soaked, the doctor won't let you out again." The older man points out, leaning closer to Chuck when someone bumps into him.  
  
"I'll change before I go back to medical, okay? Relax," the blond brings his arm up and pulls the shorter man closer to him, easily avoiding a couple that's going by.  
  
There's a part of Tendo that feels guilty, allowing himself to be taken out by the kid but Chuck is smiling, content and he just can't help wanting to see more of that look. They enter the restaurant around the corner, just like Chuck says, and the hostess is more than happy to sit the Jaeger pilot.  
  
The place is pretty packed, waitresses dressed in qipao and there's some vibrate music playing somewhere that the older man can't see but hear and it's nice. Still, it's not exactly what Tendo was expecting, seeing as Chuck looks uncomfortable as him being half soaked and trying not to shiver.  
  
"We really can just go back and get something from the cafeteria. Then we can head back to _my room_ to eat." The brunette smirks, wants to wiggle his eyebrows in jest but the dark blush that covers the blond's face makes him stop.  
  
"No, we're going to have a real date." Shaking his head swiftly, and Tendo has to turn away because he's suddenly picturing a wet Max and that is really not helping.  
  
When the waitress walks up, she smiles brightly at them and asks for their order.  
  
"Mapo doufu, pork ramen, mango drinks." Chuck says simply and the brunette raises his eyebrow and that pretty blush darkens. "Uh, I mean, if that's okay with you?"  
  
"Yeah, fine." Tendo smiles briefly as the girl walks away but props his chin up on his knuckles. "You always order for your dates, or am I just lucky like that?"  
  
Chuck shifts, crossing his arms then winces at some pain before unfolding them.  
  
"Isn't that what guys do for their dates?"  
  
The older man snorts and smiles slightly. "Yeah, maybe in the 50s, but not now." He watches for a few moments before settling back into his chair. "How many dates have you gone on?"  
  
The blond glares and turns to look around the room, far more interested in the wallpaper, ceiling fan, weird looking Chinese wall scroll. Tendo bites his lip, stopping his grin before it gets too big and reaches across the table for Chuck's hand.  
  
"Hey, I'm not making fun of you. I'm just curious about what you picture as a date."  
  
The words have the desired affect as Chuck relaxes, turning his palm up. "Dunno. Just figured that we'd go eat, maybe see a movie? Or go shopping?" He frowns slightly, looking thoughtful. "Mako said that going somewhere with a shared interest is good too."  
  
"You've really talked to Mako about this whole date thing, huh?" At the blond's nod, Tendo sighs. "It's a bit different with guys."  
  
"I... don't exactly have your _level_ of expertise on the subject." Chuck mumbles.  
  
"You can't have expected me not to have dated anyone, girl or guy." Tendo points out, tapping his fingers against the blond's palm. "I'm over 10 years your senior, kid."  
  
The younger man merely rolls his eyes, curling his hand to grab a hold of Tendo's. "I don't need you pointing that out to me too."  
  
"Wait," that makes Tendo raise and cock his eyebrow. "Who else told you that?"  
  
"Rah-ley~" Chuck says, smirking at the man's frown. "He says you're a player and I'd do better finding someone younger."  
  
"Did he...?" The frown doesn't leave Tendo's face, imagining kicking the remaining Beckett brother in the balls. Hero of the world or not, if that man tried to cockblock him, Tendo wouldn't hold back.  
  
"I'm sure somebody has told you the same," the blond muttered.  
  
"What, like your dad? Nah, the old man gave me his blessing the day we found you." Tendo smiles and at the younger man skeptical look, shrugs slightly. "Okay, sure. I mean, he did threaten to hide me in a shallow grave by the ocean if I ever hurt you but that was long before you actually asked me out."  
  
Chuck laughed at that, pulling his hand back as the waitress returned. Tendo felt himself bristle at the idea that Chuck was embarrassed by him, but realized it was more to allow the woman access to their table because, before she even finished putting the last plate down, the blond was reaching for his hand again.  
  
It gave Tendo a warm, fuzzy, happy feeling in his belly.  
  
~  
  
By the time they were done eating, the rain had stopped and left a muggy feeling in the air. Chuck immediately wrapped his arm over Tendo's shoulders as they stepped onto the sidewalk and glanced around the road.  
  
"We could go see a movie?"  
  
"Too late for a flick," the brunette looked the opposite way, hiding his smile because it was just too cute that Chuck was still trying for a perfect date scenario. He jerked his head towards some open shops, remember what Mako had suggested to the blond. "Buy me something, wonderboy."  
  
"Oi, I thought I was the one with the nicknames." Chuck smiled as he turned and headed in the direction Tendo indicated, glancing at the man.  
  
The brunette shrugged again, slipping his hand into the back pocket of Chuck's jeans and laughed when the man yelped. "Are you kidding me? Nobody has ever-"  
  
"Shut. Up." The younger man gritted out, blushing darkly. He dropped his arm from the shorter man's shoulders and grabbed up Tendo's wrist, pulling him along as the man continued to laugh.  
  
It was better than he could have hoped, the brunette realized, as they entered into pastry shop. Previous relationships for Tendo had often proven dull or adequate, but being with the young Ranger was a breath of fresh air. Maybe it was due to the kid's inexperience, or nervous energy, but there was certainly a peace that being near the other man caused in him.  
  
Tendo wrapped an arm around Chuck's, lacing their fingers and smiling as Chuck pointed at some egg bread-roll in the window case. He could actually get used to this, being dragged around by the blond, acting like some blushing significant other. Still, as the younger man bought up two breads and they exited the shop, Tendo felt like he should have some concerns.  
  
They wouldn't always be like this. It would be naive of him to think that Chuck wouldn't want someone else, someone younger, in the future.  
  
He smirked, taking the offered bread and looked at man next to him. The blond was looking confused at his pastry, like he didn't know quite what he bought but glanced up to look at Tendo.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing, just thinkin' about our future." The older man bit into the roll, humming in joy from the slight sweetness of it.  
  
Chuck frowned, taking a tentative bite. "You mean like a second date?"  
  
"No, not just a second date." Tendo admitted and bumped his shoulder into the other man's and continued back the way they originally came. "I'm being melodramatic, forget it."  
  
The blond said nothing, quietly eating his bread and walking beside Tendo. To fill the silence, the older man found himself rambling, going on about different places he'd visited in the city, talking about potential locations they could go together now, what sort of places sounded interesting.  
  
"I'm not going to leave you," Chuck finally said, stopping him mid-rant and gesturing to a bench. "So why is that on your mind?"  
  
The brunette sighed, sitting down heavily, as if a Jaeger was on his shoulders. "You're young, and let's face it, you could do a lot better." Tendo shrugged, shifting when he realized that the bench was wet thanks to the previous rain. "And I'm probably not doing you any favors by being your first boyfriend."  
  
Chuck sat for a moment, seemingly not bothered by the wet bench when he grabbed up Tendo's hand and squeezed tightly. "I know I'm a dick, okay? And I've never really been able to say exactly what's on my mind without screwing it up." He glared down at their joined hands, shaking them together. "But, when I was in Striker Eureka, when I thought I was going to die, all I could think about was you. How I never got to be with you."  
  
Tendo licked his lips, feeling the burn of tears in his eyes and forced his head to turn away. He tried not to think about it, about what it felt like for those 3 days when he thought Chuck was gone for good.  
  
"So stop thinkin' I'm suddenly going to ditch you," Chuck growled angrily, grabbing Tendo's coat to force the man to look at him. "The only way that's happening is if one of us dies."  
  
"Jeez kid," Tendo let out a light, breathless laugh. "I get it. In for a penny..."  
  
And if their first kiss was sweetened by egg bread and cold rain, well, Tendo didn't really mind all that much.


End file.
